The Ring's Design

I found a ring.

The moment I slipped it on, Noah Sterling, the hottest guy on campus, fell head over heels for me, pursuing me with a furious intensity.

I was just average.

Yet, he swore I was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Even his friends thought he'd lost his mind, scoffing that love was truly blind, that he'd mistaken a dull pebble for a dazzling diamond.

After six months with Noah, I gradually began to accept this bizarre reality. My defenses crumbled. I let my guard down, opened my heart, and went home with him.

But the next morning, my ring was gone.

Noah, his eyes wide with panic, shoved me away.

"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice laced with terror.

He broke up with me, painting me as some kind of monster to his friends. "The Emily I knew wasn't like this," he snarled, a visceral disgust twisting his features.

"It's sick. I actually spent half a year with that woman."

Time rewound.

The ring had flung me back six months.

It turned out this magical artifact could transform me into my crush's ideal woman.

I stared at the ring, a profound unease settling in my chest.

This time, I didn't put it on.

Instead, I locked it away, vowing never to touch it again.

What I hadn't expected was that Noah had been dragged back in time with me.

After ditching Olivia Evans, she surprisingly didn't go to the party that night.

"Noah didn't even show up," she mumbled, looking utterly crestfallen.

"He's apparently sick or something"

I paused, then offered a few words of comfort.

"Maybe next time, then."

Olivia latched onto my arm, pouting.

"Emily, you have to come with me to the next gathering. It's always all guys, and I'm the only girl. It's so awkward."

I chuckled, gently pushing her hand away.

"Why don't you ask Emma to go with you instead?"

Olivia's expression flickered.

"She's not going. Please, Emily, please say you'll come. I'm begging you!"

I knew exactly why Olivia was so desperate to drag me along.

Emma Miller was stunning, and Olivia couldn't stand anyone stealing her thunder.

I, on the other hand, was perfectly plain C a dutiful backdrop, easy to overlook.

In my previous life, I'd gone with Olivia to that very gathering.

But everyone there had been utterly floored.

Noah hadn't even glanced at Olivia.

Instead, his gaze had been utterly fixated on me, the unassuming sidekick.

After the party, Noah had launched into a whirlwind courtship.

At first, I couldn't wrap my head around it.

I figured it was just some twisted game, a prank cooked up by the campus royalty.

But Noah's relentless pursuit and genuine demeanor slowly chipped away at my skepticism.

He was undeniably good to me.

No matter how much his friends warned him off, he remained steadfast.

I saw the sincerity in his eyes, and little by little, he won me over.

We became a couple.

But the moment I truly gave him my heart, after a night of shared intimacy, Noah transformed.

He shrieked, practically throwing me out of his apartment, swearing he'd never seen me before in his life.

I felt like I'd fallen straight into hell.

Back at the dorm, I realized my ring was gone.

I had no choice but to return to Noah's place to find it.

When I got back, Noah was surrounded by his friends.

His face was a mask of repulsion, pure nausea etched into every line.

"The Emily I knew wasn't like this," he spewed, his voice raw with disgust. "It's sick. I actually spent half a year with that woman! What the hell happened?!"

I stood frozen in the doorway, my soul feeling ripped from my body.

The next second, time rewound.

I was back before Noah had ever even known me.

That very ring, the one that had dropped from my finger, now sat quietly in my desk drawer.

I tore open the packaging and pulled out the instructions nestled inside the box.

This ring possesses magic.

Wear it, and you will become the ideal version of your secret crush.

The explanation stated that because my "mission" to win Noah over had failed, the ring had sent me back six months.

I stared at the ring, a profound unease churning within me.

But I didn't put it on again.

Instead, I locked it away in my closet, vowing never to touch it.

A few days later, Olivia was begging me again.

Noah had organized another gathering, specifically inviting Olivia and telling her to bring her roommates.

"Emily, please, please, just come with me!"

Annoyed, I called out from my bunk, "Noah said you could bring your roommates, right? So everyone in the dorm can go. Why don't you ask them? Whoever wants to go out with Noah can go."

My words instantly piqued everyone else's interest.

Sure enough, Olivia had kept this a secret from them.

Now that everyone knew, they were all buzzing.

In the end, everyone in the dorm agreed to go C except for me.

Emma even came over to try and convince me.

"Everyone else is going, Emily. Why don't you just come along? We're in college now, it's time to experience some of that college life!"

Emma's words made me hesitate.

It had been almost a month since I'd come back, and I felt my feelings for Noah had settled, like still water.

Maybe a calm approach would help me demythologize him.

Besides, this time, without the ring's magical aura, and with my roommates all being gorgeous, no one would bother me.

I could just go for a free meal.

Once I agreed, that day I didn't even bother with makeup.

I threw on a hoodie and jeans, pulled my hair into a ponytail, and headed out looking fresh and simple.

Noah and his friends had already arrived.

It was his buddies who came to pick us up.

Just as I'd hoped, I went unnoticed.

No one tried to strike up a conversation.

I just quietly slipped into the restaurant.

Noah was seated in a corner.

His clothes were simple, but his handsome face elevated even the most casual attire, making it look like haute couture.

He was undeniably good-looking, came from a wealthy family, and there wasn't a single girl who saw him whose heart wouldn't quicken.

Once I settled into my seat, I heard Olivia's excited whisper.

"Emily, is Noah looking at us?"

I glanced up.

My eyes met Noah's.

He was frowning, his gaze sharp and complex, as if trying to bore right through me. My stomach fluttered with an unfamiliar unease.

"Yeah," I mumbled, nodding. "He's looking at you."

I wasn't much of a talker to begin with, and once the food arrived, I buried myself in my plate, tuning out all the chatter, utterly detached from the table's social dance.

That was until Emma nudged me, an awkward flush creeping up her neck. "Emily"

I looked up.

Everyone at the table was staring at me. Noah's face was dark, a rigid sneer twisting his lips.

"Emily," Emma whispered, "Noah just tried to say hello"

Noah chuckled, a hint of mockery glinting in his eyes.

"Olivia, is your friend starving? How long has it been since she ate?"

A hush fell over the table.

Michael Hayes, one of Noah's friends, was the first to react, quickly jumping in to ease the tension.

"What are you talking about, Noah? You just worried there wasn't enough food, right? Waiter, let's get a few more dishes."

Noah didn't respond.

I wiped my mouth, then stood up, offering a bland smile to everyone.

"My apologies. I skipped lunch and was ravenous. I'll take a penalty drink. You all just enjoy yourselves, don't mind me."

I grabbed a soda and chugged it.

But Noah's scowl only deepened.

He pressed on, his voice dripping with condescension.

"Drinking soda to toast us? That's not much commitment."

I met Noah's gaze, my own eyes flat and unreadable. "I'm allergic to alcohol."

Emma awkwardly tugged at my arm, explaining to Noah, "Emily really is allergic. One sip and she's out."

After I sat back down, Noah remained stone-faced, not uttering another word throughout the rest of the meal.

I didn't care what his problem was.

After dinner, when they started talking about heading to karaoke, I announced my departure.

Olivia offered a hesitant apology.

"I'm so sorry, Emily. I don't know what got into Noah tonight. Maybe he's just in a bad mood."

I waved it off, saying it was fine.

As I walked out, I saw Michael and Noah standing together.

"What's your deal, man?"

Michael was saying.

"Did you drink too much? Why were you giving that girl such a hard time?"

Another friend chimed in, "Yeah, even if she isn't super pretty, you could've just ignored her.

You made the whole atmosphere super awkward."

I happened to be walking by at that moment. The group froze, wide-eyed. Michael was the first to recover.

"Emily, you coming to karaoke with us?"

I offered him a small smile.

"No thanks, you guys have fun. I'm heading back."

Michael started walking toward me.

"I can walk you back."

Before I could reply, Noah's cold voice cut through the air. "Let her walk herself."

I looked at Noah, a spark of anger igniting within me.

"Michael, you can walk me."

Michael blinked, surprised, then followed me.

"I'll see Emily off. You guys go ahead."

Once we were outside, Michael's curiosity got the better of him.

"Did you two know each other before?"

"No," I replied, shaking my head.

I flagged down a taxi, then turned to Michael.

"What I said back there was just to be spiteful. You should go back. I don't need you to walk me."

I got into the cab, but Michael was insistent.

"It's late for a girl to be riding alone. I don't feel good about it."

I let out a soft laugh.

"You're quite the gentleman."

I didn't talk much to Michael during the ride. When we reached campus, he asked for my number.

I didn't give it to him. Instead, I put on my best 'too cool for school' act. "I'm not really looking to date, so apologies."

Michael's face flushed. "I wasn't"

"See ya." I cut him off, making a swift exit.

I knew Michael couldn't possibly be interested in me.

He was just as handsome as Noah, how could he possibly be attracted to someone as ordinary as me?

I was just trying to find an excuse to keep all of them at a distance.

But from that day on, Michael seemed to have developed an interest in me. He started contacting me frequently.

He got my number from Olivia, then started waiting for me after class.

Today was no different.

He held a coffee cup, asking me out for a meal just outside the classroom.

"Got some free time later? Wanna grab a bite?"

Olivia, walking out with me, saw Michael approaching me and looked genuinely surprised. "You're asking Emily out?"

Michael nodded.

I, too, was genuinely curious as to why Michael had taken an interest in me.

I agreed to have dinner with him.

On the way, I asked him, "Do you think I'm pretty? Am I your dream girl?"

My blunt questions left Michael speechless.

Once I confirmed he wasn't under any strange spell, I pressed on.

"Probably not, right? I'm pretty plain. So why are you asking me out?"

Michael considered it. "I think your personality is interesting."

I offered a faint smile. "Is that so? I'm not entirely convinced."

We continued our conversation, our closeness seemingly growing. Just then, I saw Noah.

He stood in the distance, his eyes cold, locked on us.

I met his stare, then casually reached out and took Michael's hand.

Michael froze.

At the same instant, Noah stormed over, his anger barely contained. He grabbed my arm, yanking me toward him. "Michael, she's not who you think she is! Wake up!"

Noah's words sent a shiver down my spine.

Michael looked utterly bewildered. "What are you talking about? What's wrong with Emily? Let her go, you're hurting her!"

Michael tried to pull me back, but Noah already had a firm grip on me and started dragging me away.

My mind was a tangled mess.

I tried to pull free, but his grip was unyielding.

He didn't release me until we reached a secluded spot.

Noah's eyes, dark and stormy, glared at me. "What, Emily? Couldn't reel me in, so you switched targets? Are you always this fickle, always so manipulative?"

I frowned, a growing sense of dread coiling in my stomach.

"What are you talking about?"

Noah gritted his teeth.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

I fell silent, a wild, absurd thought blossoming in my mind.

If I had returned six months in the past, was it possible Noah had, too?

If so, then his current reactions, his fury, his strange accusations C they all made a terrifying sort of sense.

My mind reeled.

The universe truly has a twisted sense of humor, I thought.

But I wanted nothing more to do with Noah.

So I decided to play dumb. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Michael and I have nothing going on. I'm not interested in him. Please, make sure he gets that message and stops bothering me."

I spat the words out, my voice laced with annoyance.

Internally, I silently apologized to Michael.

There was no other way.

To truly distance myself from Noah, I had to push away his friends too.

This time, I just wanted a quiet life.

I was an ordinary person.

I couldn't possibly belong in their world of golden boys.

"You!" Noah looked absolutely furious.

"How can you be so shameless?" he seethed.

"You clearly schemed to seduce Michael, and now you're telling him to get lost?"

I raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile playing on my lips.

"What scheme? Didn't you tell Michael not to be fooled by me? I don't care to fool him, nor do I care to associate with any of you.

We're not friends. Don't bother me again."

Noah sneered. "I certainly hope not."

"Absolutely," I agreed, my voice flat.

That "absolutely" was my silent farewell.

Noah, may our paths never cross again.

Noah paused, his mouth opening as if to speak, but no words came out.

I turned and walked away.

Michael, still confused by the whole incident, eventually stopped trying to reach out.

When he sought me out, I simply pretended not to see him.

After several failed attempts, Michael cornered me by the classroom door.

The moment I stepped out, he stood directly in front of me.

"Emily, can we talk?"

His face was pale, dark circles beneath his eyes betraying a restless night.

I sighed.

"Didn't I tell you to stop looking for me? I'm not interested."

Michael's expression was visibly wounded. "Is it because of Noah? What did he say to you? Whatever it was, it's not how I feel, Emily. Please, don't let it get to you."

My voice was cold. "It has nothing to do with him. I'm genuinely not interested in you. Stop looking for me. I need to focus on my studies right now."

Michael pressed his lips together, forcing a strained smile. "You misunderstand. I just want to be friends. Can't we even be friends?"

I felt a pang of guilt, but I stood firm. "I'm sorry, but please don't come looking for me anymore."

This entire scene was witnessed by many, including my roommate, Olivia.

That night, returning from studying, I heard Olivia's voice from inside our dorm room.

"Does Michael have some kind of weird taste?" she pondered.

"Why would he be interested in Emily? I'm racking my brain, and I just can't figure it out. Emily's so plain, and he's so handsome. Why would he pursue her, and then get rejected by her? This world is just bizarre."

Olivia lamented, and I stood outside, my lips twitching.

I wasn't sure if I should just walk in.

Honestly, I hadn't worn the ring, and I wasn't interested in Michael.

Logically, without the ring's aura, he shouldn't have been interested in me at all. So, yeah, I found it pretty bizarre myself.

After Olivia finished, Emma asked, "I know, right? It's so weird. Maybe Michael just values personality more. Hey, Olivia, how are things going with Noah? Haven't you been out with him a lot these past few days?"

Olivia's expression stiffened. "We're doing great."

"So, when are you two going to make it official?" Emma pressed.

Olivia hedged. "Oh, it's still early. We're taking things slow."

Seeing them change the subject, I finally walked in.

They froze when they saw me, but quickly offered cheerful greetings.

Olivia, ever the gossip, immediately asked what had happened between me and Michael.

"Emily, did Michael confess to you?"

I smiled.

I had no desire to burn bridges.

Being surface-level roommates for the rest of college sounded perfectly fine.

"What are you talking about? He was just asking me for help with some questions. Why would he confess to me?"

Olivia's eyes darted around.

"So you're not interested in him at all?"

"No interest whatsoever. How could we possibly be? My only interest right now is studying."

Olivia chuckled. "Emily, you're such a total bookworm."

I smiled back. "Studying is how I'll make a real difference in the world. What's the point of dating? Besides, I've read some amazing books lately, I can recommend them to you"

The moment I brought up studying, their interest evaporated.

They mumbled a few perfunctory replies, and I gratefully shut up, enjoying the quiet.

After that day, Michael stopped seeking me out.

I thought my life would finally return to normal, a peaceful college existence.

But a few days later, Olivia called me.

Her voice sounded strained.

"Emily, can you come here?"

I frowned. "What's wrong?"

Olivia's voice was hesitant, almost stuttering.

"I'm at the mall near campus. I'm feeling a bit unwell. Can you come pick me up?"

"What's wrong with you?"

Olivia just kept insisting she felt sick, begging me to come get her.

I didn't understand why she'd call me, but she was my roommate, and Olivia rarely asked for my help.

Fearing she was genuinely unwell and alone, I packed my things and headed over.

When I arrived at the designated restaurant, I saw Olivia sitting at a table.

She wasn't alone.

Noah Sterling was sitting opposite her.

My face instantly went cold.

"What is this? You said you were sick. Your boyfriend's right across from you. Why didn't you ask him for help?"

Olivia's face fell.

She stood up and tugged at my arm.

"I'm sorry, Emily, I lied. I was afraid you wouldn't come out. We just wanted to invite you for dinner. Please, just sit down."

Annoyed, I pushed her hand away.

"If you're fine, I'm leaving."

As I turned to walk away, Noah's cold voice cut through the air.

"What did you do to Michael? He's a mess."

I looked at Noah.

"His mood has nothing to do with me. We're not friends, and I'm not friends with any of you." I glared at Olivia.

"Don't ever bother me again."

I spun to leave, but Noah's voice rose, sharp and commanding.

"You dare walk away, Emily! If you leave, I'll tell Michael your secret."I stopped dead, a cold smirk playing on my lips. "What secret? Go on, tell him."

Noah's face was a mask of frustration. "You know it."

"I know what? You're making baseless accusations, just spouting rumors?"

Noah clenched his fists, his eyes fixed on me with intense frustration.

"The Michael in Michael's eyes is different from the Michael in ours."

I burst out laughing, as if he'd told the most ridiculous joke.

"Hahaha! Are you out of your mind? You're completely unhinged. You should ask Michael about that, how would I know what he sees in me?"

I turned, the smile vanishing from my face the moment I walked away.

Olivia chased after me, her face pale as she stammered apologies.

"I'm so sorry, Emily. I don't know what's wrong with Noah. He forced me to call you out. It's my fault, I'm so sorry."

I ignored Olivia, but she grabbed my arm again.

"Emily, please forgive me, okay? Don't ignore me."

I frowned, looking at Olivia.

"Do you even need me? You're not exactly short on friends, especially ordinary ones like me."

Olivia's face stiffened, tears welling in her eyes.

"Emily, I genuinely want to be your friend."

"Stop playing games," I retorted, my voice sharp.

"Just say what you mean. If you don't, we have nothing more to talk about."

Olivia bit her lip, struggling for a moment, then finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper.

"Noah is he's really focused on you. I really like him, but every time we've hung out, he just asks about you. If you don't talk to me, he'll definitely ignore me too"

I froze, feeling utterly bewildered.

"He's like that, and you still like him?"

Olivia was on the verge of tears.

"It's the first time in my life I've liked a guy this much. Please, I'm begging you, help me."

"Help you?" I scoffed, my voice cold.

"Who's going to help me?"

I pushed her hand away, turning and walking straight back into the restaurant, heading directly for Noah.

"If you let my roommate spy on me again, I'm calling the police."

Olivia, rushing back, heard my words.

Her mouth dropped open, her expression a mix of shock and panic.

Noah's pupils constricted, his emotions a tangled mess.

"Emily, what are you talking about!"

Olivia rushed over, trying to stop me, but I shook her off, my eyes icy. "Olivia, I'm telling you, if it weren't for the fact that we're roommates, I would have called the police already! I'm letting you off the hook this time, so just shut up."

Olivia instantly deflated, unable to utter another word.

I turned back to Noah, my gaze unwavering.

"Write me a handwritten promise. If you harass or spy on me again, if you violate my personal rights, I'll make sure you spend a few nights in a cell."